A portable gravity-based self-levelling device for projecting a laser ray or a flat beam of laser rays (L, L11, L12, L110, L120) in a horizontal and/or vertical direction even if the device lies in an inclined position, comprises: a case (C) in the form of a hollow housing (1); a pendulum (11) suspended inside the case (C) by suspension means (5, 9); means (23A, 23B, 24) for damping the pendulum swing; means (18, 19) for adjusting the equilibrium position of the pendulum (11); and, mounted on the pendulum (11), means (12) for projecting collimated visible laser rays. The suspension means comprise at least one first mechanical decoupling member such as a ball or roller bearing (5), associated with the hollow housing (1), and, lying in a plane perpendicular to that of the first member (5), a second mechanical decoupling member rigidly secured to the movable part (6) of said first member and supporting the pendulum (11).
Legal claims defining the scope of protection, as filed with the USPTO.
1. A portable gravity-based self-levelling device for outwardly projecting a laser ray or a flat beam of laser rays (L, L 11 , L 12 , L 110 , L 120 ) in a horizontal and/or vertical direction even if the device lies in an inclined position, said device comprising: a case (C) in the form of a hollow housing ( 1 ) provided with resting members ( 3 ); a pendulum ( 11 ) suspended inside the case (C) by suspension means ( 5 , 9 ), said pendulum comprising a mass or weight ( 16 ) at its bottom; means ( 23 A, 23 B, 24 ) for damping the pendulum swing; means ( 18 , 19 ) for adjusting the equilibrium position of the pendulum ( 11 ); and, mounted on the pendulum ( 11 ), means ( 12 ), operable from the outside and powered by at least one battery ( 21 ) contained in the case (C), for projecting collimated visible laser rays, and able, when the pendulum ( 11 ) is in its rest position, to outwardly project a horizontal collimated laser ray or at least one horizontal and/or vertical flat beam of laser rays wherein the suspension means comprise at least one first mechanical decoupling member such as a ball or roller bearing ( 5 ), associated with the hollow housing ( 1 ), and a second mechanical decoupling member such as a ball or roller bearing ( 9 ), associated by way of a first part ( 9 B) thereof with a movable part ( 6 ) of said first decoupling member ( 5 ), a second part ( 9 A) of said second member supporting the pendulum ( 11 ), the two members or bearings ( 5 , 9 ) lying in mutually perpendicular planes.
2. A device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the first member or bearing ( 5 ) is supported by an element ( 4 ) fixed to the case, the movable part ( 6 ) of said member being connected via a rigid element ( 8 ) to the second member or bearing, of which the first part ( 9 B) is rigidly fixed to the rigid connection element ( 8 ) and of which that part ( 9 A) free to rotate relative to said first part ( 9 B) is rigidly connected to a rigid shank ( 10 ) of the pendulum having its fulcrum in said second member ( 9 ).
3. A device as claimed in claim 2 , wherein the axis (X) of the first member or bearing ( 5 ) lies in the middle plane through the second member or bearing ( 9 ), said first bearing being positioned within the case with its axis (X) parallel to the surface (N) on which the resting members ( 3 ) lie.
4. A device as claimed in claim 3 , wherein the second member or bearing ( 9 ) is located in a position radial to the first bearing or decoupling member ( 5 ), such that the axis of said second member ( 9 ) lies in the middle plane through the first member ( 5 ).
5. A device as claimed in claim 3 , wherein the axis (X) of the first bearing perpendicularly cuts the axis of the second bearing.
6. A device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the mass or weight ( 16 ) of the pendulum or moving assembly ( 11 ) carries the means for adjusting the equilibrium position of this latter, these means comprising at least one threaded member ( 18 , 19 ) positioned in a corresponding seat ( 18 A, 19 A) having its axis preferably perpendicular to the axis (K) of the pendulum ( 11 ).
7. A device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the damping means comprise a disc ( 17 ) of electrically conducting material, such as copper or the like, associated with the free end of the pendulum ( 11 ) to cooperate with magnetic field generating means ( 23 A, 23 B, 24 ) at least partly associated with the hollow housing.
8. A device as claimed in claim 7 , wherein the magnetic field generating means are at least two pairs of plates ( 23 A, 23 B) of ferromagnetic material between which a permanent magnet ( 24 ) is positioned, said pairs being at least partly associated with the hollow housing ( 1 ) and positioned at an angle to each other, the disc ( 17 ) connected to the pendulum becoming inserted between each said pair during the pendulum swing but before attainment of its equilibrium position.
9. A device as claimed in claim 7 , wherein the magnetic field generating means are at least two magnetic units each comprising at least one permanent magnet, in each unit there facing each other spaced-apart opposite magnetic poles between which a disc of conducting material becomes inserted as it swings.
10. A device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the resting members ( 3 ) are associated with a base ( 25 ) on which the hollow housing ( 1 ) can rotate.
11. A device as claimed in claim 10 , wherein the centre of rotation of the second member or bearing ( 9 ) lies on the axis (Y) about which the hollow housing ( 1 ) of the case (C) rotates on the base ( 25 ).
12. A device as claimed in claim 10 , further comprising electrical actuator means ( 300 ) for actuating the rotation of the case (C) on the base ( 25 ), said means ( 300 ) being advantageously remotely controllable.
13. A device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the hollow housing ( 1 ) comprises a first and a second element ( 30 , 39 ) inserted one into the other and connected together in a sealed manner, the first element ( 30 ) being internal to the second ( 39 ) and supporting the pendulum ( 11 ).
14. A device as claimed in claim 1 , further comprising travel limiting means ( 51 , 53 ) arranged to prevent the pendulum ( 11 ) swinging too widely.
15. A device as claimed in claim 14 , wherein said limiting means ( 51 , 53 ) cooperate with means ( 56 ) for interrupting laser ray generation by the laser ray projection means ( 12 ).
16. A device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the projection means comprise at least one laser diode ( 12 ) with which there is rigidly associated an optical unit ( 13 ; 90 ; 200 ; 202 ) which the laser ray emitted by the diode ( 12 ) strikes before leaving the housing ( 1 ) of the case (C).
17. A device as claimed in claim 16 , wherein the optical unit ( 90 ; 200 ; 202 ) is of the type able to split the laser ray (L) emitted by the laser diode ( 12 ) into two rays (L 1 , L 2 ) deviated through 90 from said laser ray (L), said deviated rays (L 1 , L 2 ) reaching further corresponding optical units ( 100 , 101 ) rigid with the laser diode which each generate a flat beam of laser rays, said beams being perpendicular to each other and, when the pendulum ( 11 ) is at rest, horizontal and vertical respectively.
18. A device as claimed in claim 16 , characterised in that the projection means are two laser diodes ( 120 , 121 ) mounted on the pendulum in such a manner as to project two parallel rays which are horizontal when the pendulum ( 11 ) is at rest, each of said rays striking a corresponding optical unit ( 123 , 134 ) rigid with each of said diodes respectively, to generate a flat laser beam, said flat beams being perpendicular to each other and, when the pendulum ( 11 ) is at rest, horizontal and vertical respectively.
Cooperative Patent Classification codes for this invention. Click any code to explore related patents in that topic.
February 2, 2000
May 7, 2002
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